the_singapore_lgbt_encyclopaediawikiaorg-20200215-history
Archive of "Insurance firms test applicants for Aids", The Straits Times, 21 May 1989
=Scan of article & page= =Editable text of article= Insurance firms test applicants for Aids Air stewards, tour guides, hairdressers among those affected By YAW YAN CHONG Some major insurance companies now require potential clients in "high risk" jobs to be tested for Aids before deciding whether to accept their life policies. Single males in jobs like flight steward, tour guide, hairdresser and well-travelled businessmen are the ones considered as risky by the insurance companies. Threee of the five major firms contacted - Prudential Assuarance, Great Eastern Life and the Insurance Corporation of Singapore (ICS) have adopted this guideline and will send the prospective clients for the blood test if their policy is worth at least $100,000. But if the sum insured is higher - more than $500,000 - clients will be asked to undergo the blood test that determines if they have Aids, or the acquired immune deficiency syndrome virus regardless of their jobs. The requirement came last year after Prudential paid out a total of $150,000 to the families of three Aids victims - two flight stewards and a tour guide. "This was the main instigator that brought about the requirement. It was then that we opened our eyes to the fact that Aids is not very far from Asia," said a Prudential spokesman. The plight of life insurers in the US, Europe and other Aids-afflicted countries also made local companies more aware of the problem. In the 1980s, the life insurance industry in the US and Europe gave out large sums of money in claims when Aids sufferers took up huge policies. The spokesman for Prudential said: "Flight stewards, tour guides and businessmen who travel overseas regularly, especially to high rish areas like the US or Europe, are often in contact with foreigners. This makes them a potential hazard. "For example, a businessman who goes to the US regularly may indulge in promiscuous activities with some women there who in turn are also sexually active. "Thus there is a possibility that he might contract Aids from them. It's not just the homosexuals that we are worried about." This HIV blood test also applies to bar waitresses and hostesses, homosexuals,, bisexuals and haemophiliacs who need regular blood transfusions, all of whom are also considered to be in the high risk group. Mr Ng Seng Leong, the general manager of the ICS, said his firm's prospective clients will have to first answer certain questions in their application form. "If there are indications in the form that point in that direction it is likely that he would be asked to go for a blood test. Even then, we will ask him to fill another questionnaire about his lifestyle before deciding whether to send him for the test. "It's not just because of the fact that they travel regularly in their jobs that we subject them to the test. It's a combination of several factors," he added. A spokesman for NTUC Income said there are no Aids-related questions in its proposal form but the company is looking into adding some. The disease, which breaks down the body's immune system, has claimed seven Singaporeans since the first case was discovered four years ago. A total of 35 Singaporeans, which includes those who died, have been afflicted with the disease. =See also= *Archive of "Three in S’pore found with Aids-linked virus", The Straits Times, 10 April 1985 *Archive of "Aids virus: Doctor who 'found it'", The Sunday Times, 14 April 1985 *Archive of "A chance to be ahead in medicine", The Singapore Monitor, 16 April 1985 *Archive of "Aids on ‘must report’ list", The Straits Times, 17 April 1985 *Archive of "Undergrads to be taught about Aids", The Straits Times, 21 April 1885 *Archive of "16 more may be carriers of Aids virus", The Straits Times, 30 April 1985 *Archive of "Aids doctor thanks mum", The Straits Times, 12 May 1985 *Archive of "Special lab to do Aids tests soon", The Straits Times, 18 May 1985 *Archive of "Man with Aids related virus in hospital", The Straits Times, 21 July 1985 *Archive of "Aids carrier leaves hospital", The Straits Times, 28 July 1985 *Archive of "Ministry steps up Aids drive", The Straits Times, 5 September 1985 *Archive of "Singapore ‘first in the world’ to have 100 % screening of donor blood", The Straits Times, 11 September 1985 *Archive of "S’pore-Stanford research tie-up bid", The Straits Times, 10 October 1985 *Archive of "Aids: 20,000 cleared", The Straits Times, 29 November 1985 *Archive of "200 turn up for first public medical convention", The Straits Times, 28 April 1986 *Archive of "Screening tests likely to uncover more Aids carriers", The Straits Times, 1 May 1986 *Archive of "100 people could be Aids carriers here: Expert", The Straits Times, 3 August 1986 *Archive of "Aids claims first victim here", The Straits Times, 11 April 1987 *Archive of "Fear of Aids pushes up condom sales", The Straits Times, 19 April 1987 *Archive of "Govt dental clinics phasing out boiling", The Straits Times, 1 October 1987 *Earliest cases of HIV/AIDS in Singapore *HIV/AIDS in Singapore's LGBT community *Paddy Chew *Avin Tan *Ajmal Khan *Calvin Tan *Adrian Tyler =References= *Yaw Yan Chong, "Insurance firms test applicants for Aidst", The Straits Times, 21 May 1989[]. =Acknowledgements= This article was archived by Roy Tan. Category:Archive of LGBT articles